During the mid and late 1800s, it became a point of contention between European settlers and the Chiricahua Apache, as it was at a crossroad in the region, as well as being the site of a freshwater spring.

That year, James Dickson began construction on the farm house, on land which included the guardhouse, the reservoir, and another small defensive bunker.

In 1918 L. A. Knape purchased the property from Dickson, he added large tracts of the surrounding land, turning it into a cattle ranch, which was sold in 1934.

[2] The ranch is located in the remote high-desert among the northern foothills of the Chiricahua Mountains in Cochise County in southeastern Arizona.

As described in the National Park Service's (NPS) nomination form, "The upper story consisting of a clipped gambrel roof sheathed with wood shingles.

Small vertical window openings resembling rifle ports are cut into the north and south walls.

The interior displays a simple floor plan with the main entry being through paired French doors beneath the west veranda.

At the east end of the main living space is a fireplace bordered by colored Mexican ceramic tiles installed in 1928.

However, of the original 5000 foot pipeline still in existence is a 40-foot length of pipe running from the reservoir to just beyond the guardhouse.